Life is but a Dream
by EmRose92
Summary: A collection of drabbles, with focus on the relationship between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy and some behind-the-scenes reactions and thoughts about the situations they manage to get themselves into and out of. Other characters may/will appear. NOT slash.
1. Unbalanced

Here is the first in a set of drabbles I've been collecting...this is really my first shot at writing something so short, and I'm finding it harder than I initially thought it would be. With such a small amount of text I'm allowing myself to use (all of them will equal exactly 100 words, not counting the title), finding the right ones is becoming a kind of personal challenge. :) Enjoy!

EmRose

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Spock

* * *

**Unbalanced**

He sometimes thought of himself as a reflection of the scene outside—a vast ocean of calm wrapped in the darkness of stars and constellations. He liked to stand on the Bridge and look out on those stars, to feel that immense, reassuring balance within himself.

The only two beings in the galaxy that could shatter that balance were _them_. They were space storms of incredible magnitude, and just being in their presence was exhausting. They disrupted his delicate inner balance with the slightest touch, the simplest smile, the softest word.

It was fascinating to him that he didn't mind.

____


	2. Beginnings

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Leonard McCoy, Spock

**

* * *

Beginnings**

The fact that the blood was green didn't bother him. The fact that the blood _was_ did. It certainly wasn't the first time he had performed nonhuman surgery, but _this_ was different and for the duration of the complicated, four-hour procedure he didn't understand why. He had only known the pointy-eared computer for a few weeks, and he didn't like him a'_tall._

But when the surgery was over, he stared at the blood on his hands and knew that Spock had somehow worked his way into his stubborn heart and was fixed to stay.

But Spock would never know it.

____


	3. Fellowship

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Leonard McCoy, Montgomery Scott

* * *

**Fellowship**

It was one of those lonely nights in Sickbay, not long after he'd come aboard. Kirk, the only man he yet considered friend, was on duty. Even M'Benga had gone to bed, and he was left pacing, cursing his insomnia.

That's when the door opened with a quiet hiss, and he turned to see a sheepish Montgomery Scott harboring a twinkle in his eye.

"Care to join me for a midnight drink, doctor?"

He smiled. "It would be my pleasure."

But it wasn't a drink Scotty offered him that night; it was friendship. He was only too happy to accept.

____


	4. Ritual

Again, not quite how I imagined, but I think it turned out okay anyways. Cheers!

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Leonard McCoy, James Kirk

* * *

**Ritual**

The first time he came to Captain's quarters was after the duplicate-Kirk incident. He walked in without knocking to see Kirk sitting at his desk, looking exhausted and pensive but almost afraid to sleep.

"Something the doctor ordered," was all he said, and poured the glasses. Kirk took the offering with a tired smile, but the tightness around his eyes eased as they drank. McCoy sat with him in silence for nearly an hour, and then Kirk stretched, yawned, and said,

"I think I'll turn in."

He gripped the Captain's shoulder briefly and departed. They never spoke of it again.

____


	5. Thoughtless

Thought I'd explain a little on this one...it didn't turn out how I originally planned, but it's meant to be one of those times when Kirk lets his temper get the better of him, and ends up really hurting feelings. Of course, in that Kirk way, he always apologizes close to immediately afterwards, but that bit didn't fit in my word count. :)

Review!

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Leonard McCoy, James Kirk

* * *

**Thoughtless**

Blue eyes flashed, and his gut wrenched as they gradually darkened. He searched the familiar, cantankerous face that was uncharacteristically still; the ever-present warmth was missing. Usually emotions were uncontrollably visible through open blue windows; now those windows were hooded, a pitiful attempt to shield himself from the harsh, biting words that had hurt, had hurt. The eyes lowered, and the dark head bowed. The hands jerked to clasp behind his back, and he bobbed on his feet before the eyes raised again, a beautiful summers day clouded just before a storm. He brushed past and was gone.

_I'm sorry, Bones._

______


	6. Choices

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Leonard McCoy

* * *

**Choices**

It was a simple thing—a single, small ice-bright diamond set in a gold band that grew slightly wider where it joined with the stone. He wore it on his left little finger, and the underside was all worn down from where the pad on his thumb had rubbed it around and around and around.

Starfleet dress regulations stated that no jewelry was to be worn on duty. His response to Jim's amiable-but-serious order that it be removed was a grim, no-nonsense, _this is how it's gonna be: _"No jewelry, no McCoy."

Jim chose McCoy.

And the ring stayed on.

____

This is a little tribute to Deforest Kelley--the McCoy quote is actually a play off of something that Deforest said when told by Roddenberry that no jewelry was to be worn by the cast. I believe he said exactly that--"No jewelry, no Deforest". And so Roddenberry let him keep the ring. :)


	7. Illogical

A little clip from the episode "Journey to Babel"...one of my personal favorites.

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Amanda, Sarek

* * *

**Illogical**

At the prospect of losing both husband and son, she felt the fragile shields she had so painstakingly constructed dissolving. Usually at times like these, Sarek was instantly at her side with the deadpan wit and insurmountable logic that he used to temper her bouts of emotion-itis.

This time, all she had was a failingly human hand, a Georgian accent, and a pair of blue eyes creased in anxiety. Though she couldn't help but long for Sarek, she clung desperately to the comforting emotionalism of the very human doctor.

Funny, that the once despised logic had become so illogically loved.

____


	8. Optimism

During the episode _For the World is Hollow and I have Touched the Sky_, another of my personal favorites, mainly because of the McCoy prominence.

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Jim Kirk, Leonard McCoy

* * *

**Optimism **

Before he'd even asked, the twisting tension in his gut whispered _it's Bones._

To be sure, he asked, "you?" The bleak look on McCoy's face said enough. He left quickly, stomach roiling, and then felt sickeningly selfish for abandoning his friend when he knew that McCoy would never ask him to stay.

That night was the first time he went to McCoy's quarters to _offer_ companionship. He stood a long while, hands clasping McCoy's shoulders while the doctor cried, fighting back hot tears of his own. He would wait to weep.

The absence of tears meant the presence of hope.

____


	9. Linked

A moment following the events in "Mirror, Mirror", in which Spock prepares, quite accidentally, for an life-changing event that will happen years and years later.

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Spock, Leonard McCoy

* * *

**Linked**

After, he approached McCoy to offer an apology.

As expected, he was interrupted by a gruff "'S ok, Spock."

"I might disagree, doctor…I know of your personal feelings, and I give you my oath that I will never forcibly violate your mind without your given permission."

A blank, surprised stare creased into a smile, and then a warm hand gently clasped his shoulder. "Spock, should the need arise, I offer my mind to you freely. Friend to friend. I…I trust you, Spock. Remember."

He left, sure that he would never take advantage of such a gift.

How wrong he was.

____


	10. Laps

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: James Kirk**, **Leonard McCoy, Spock**  
**

* * *

**Laps**

McCoy's last jibe and his own furious outburst were still ringing in his ears when he dove neatly into the pool and struck out for the opposite wall. As his body sliced through the water he could feel the frustration melting away. But _why_ couldn't they stop bickering? Couldn't they see how frayed his nerves were already?

An hour later he was exhausted but ready to face his friends. He boosted himself from the pool to a waiting towel, two pathetic puppy-dog blue eyes and two contrite brown ones.

He accepted the towel and the unspoken apologies in one gesture.

____


	11. Barriers

Unintentionally kind of a companion piece to one of my earlier drabbles, **Beginnings**. Oh, and this little piece just might become its own one-shot, like **Laps** managed to turn into. Just a heads up. :)

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Spock, Leonard McCoy

* * *

**Barriers**

Mr. Spock understood first.

He alone saw that the doctor's demanding, callous behavior hid a heart of pure gold, one locked tightly away with bitter pieces of the past. What he gleaned from McCoy's abstruse history only reinforced his theory.

The doctor had built a nigh-impenetrable wall around his heart because he was terrified of it again being hurt. So Spock assigned himself the near-impossible task of whittling the wall away with teases, taunts, and exaggerated eyebrows until he finally breached it to the gentle soul within.

He forever regarded that first crooked smile as one of his greatest treasures.

____


	12. Colors

A tribute to our favorite sort of crewman...the redshirt.

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Leonard McCoy

* * *

**Colors**

What with his dark hair and complexion, he'd always thought he looked good in red. When he signed aboard the Enterprise and learned that Medico wore blue, he accepted the proffered uniforms irreverently and spent a few days childishly envying Engineering in their brilliant scarlet.

But after his first few on-planet assignments and the first few casualties, he began to notice a disturbing pattern. Everyone he declared dead, every man that went missing, every crew member save the Captain that he treated all had one thing in common.

They all wore red.

He'd always thought he looked good in blue.

____


	13. Empath

Inspired by possibly my all-time favorite episode, _The Empath. _I have a lot of those, don't I? But really, I think that one might be it. _  
_

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: Spock

* * *

**Empath**

He had often admitted to himself in his quiet hours of meditation that it would hurt to lose them. Until now, it had never truly been a reality.

He saw fear, love, and terrible sadness smoldering in Jim's golden eyes as the Captain cradled McCoy's limp, broken body and for the first time he truly understood, because the emotions were only a reflection of his own.

What a curious concept, said some detached part of his brain.

Curious, that watching Jim crumble under the thought of losing McCoy could hurt him as much as the loss itself.

Strange, this empathy.


	14. Stamina

Wow, it's been a long time since I've updated this. But here's another one that just kind of happened yesterday, so I thought I'd upload it.

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: James Kirk, Leonard McCoy

**

* * *

**

**Stamina**

According to Spock, they had been on red alert for 52 hours and 17 minutes exactly. McCoy had just arrived on the bridge, medical tunic spattered with unnamed liquids, eyes glassy but smile triumphant. No deaths, he reported. Kirk returned the smile tiredly. He'd been on his feet for 21 hours straight, and he was so exhausted he was sick, ready to collapse...

McCoy beat him to it. Sulu's shout brought Spock to the doctor's side just in time to catch, and Kirk knew instantly that the doctor had been on _his _feet for all 52 hours.

Him, tired? Naw.


	15. Chess

**Life is but a Dream**

Characters: James Kirk, Spock

* * *

**Chess**

The chess set was a gift from his grandfather the night he left home, a worn, oblong box shoved wordlessly into his hands.

"You're sure?" he'd asked.

"Find a worthy opponent, son, and you'll find a best friend in that empty space of yours."

He carried it around until he arrived on _Enterprise_, and one lonely night he pulled it out and thought of home, wondering if he'd be better off pitching hay in Iowa.

Who would have thought that a late night report from his distant First Officer would have turned into a four-hour match that ended in stalemate?


	16. Expected

Always loved that he just popped in at random moments when there's really no need for him to be there (except to argue with Kirk or Spock when something dangerous happens). And I wonder about that first time he came up, what the crew's reactions were...maybe I'll expand this one. Maybe.

**Life is But a Dream**

Characters: Leonard McCoy, Bridge Crew

* * *

**Expected**

The first time Doctor McCoy showed up on the Bridge heads turned. Kirk's first thought was _medical emergency_, and he barked, "Report, Doctor."

McCoy stopped mid-step, hands clasped loosely behind his back, a look of bemusement crossing his face.

"Nothing to report," he drawled.

Kirk frowned. "Then what is it?"

McCoy shrugged. "What's going on up here?"

Spock raised an eyebrow from Science, but when McCoy wandered over he was gracious enough to explain the system they were mapping.

Soon, heads no longer turned. Medico on the Bridge wasn't protocol, but Doc was different. He was part of the family.


End file.
